The Consultation Letters of Dr William Cullen (1710-1790) at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
[ID:293] From: Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) / To: Dr Alexander Stenhouse / Regarding: Mr Francis Somervell (Somerville, Sommerveil) (Patient) / 21 March 1782 / (Outgoing)
Reply to Dr Alexander Stenshouse with directions for Mr [Francis] Somervell, who is advised to take opiates and avoid sea-bathing.
- Facsimile
- Normalized Text
- Diplomatic Text
- Metadata
- Case
- People
- Places
Facsimile
There are 2 images for this document.
[Page 1]
[Page 2]
Metadata
| Field | Data |
|---|---|
| DOC ID | 293 |
| RCPE Catalogue Number | CUL/1/1/14/182 |
| Main Language | English |
| Document Direction | Outgoing |
| Date | 21 March 1782 |
| Annotation | None |
| Type | Machine copy |
| Enclosure(s) | No enclosure(s) |
| Autopsy | No |
| Recipe | No |
| Regimen | No |
| Letter of Introduction | No |
| Case Note | No |
| Summary | Reply to Dr Alexander Stenshouse with directions for Mr [Francis] Somervell, who is advised to take opiates and avoid sea-bathing. |
| Manuscript Incomplete? | No |
| Evidence of Commercial Posting | No |
Case
Cases that this document belongs to:
| Case ID | Description | Num Docs |
|---|---|---|
| [Case ID:964] |
Case of Francis (Frank) Somervell who has an arthritic complaint. |
3 |
People linked to this document
| Person ID | Role in document | Person |
|---|---|---|
| [PERS ID:1] | Author | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2701] | Addressee | Dr Alexander Stenhouse |
| [PERS ID:2743] | Patient | Mr Francis Somervell (Somerville, Sommerveil) |
| [PERS ID:2701] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr Alexander Stenhouse |
| [PERS ID:1] | Patient's Physician / Surgeon / Apothecary | Dr William Cullen (Professor Cullen) |
| [PERS ID:2749] | Patient's Relative / Spouse / Friend | Mrs Somerville (Somerveil) |
Places linked to this document
| Role in document | Specific Place | Settlements / Areas | Region | Country | Global Region | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Writing | Cullen's House / Mint Close | Edinburgh | Edinburgh and East | Scotland | Europe | certain |
| Destination of Letter | Glasgow | Glasgow and West | Scotland | Europe | inferred | |
| Therapeutic Recommendation | Highlands | East Highlands | Scotland | Europe | certain |
Normalized Text
Mr Stenhouse Concerning Mr Sommerveil.
I am much obliged to you for giving me
accounts of Mr Sommerveil whom I would very willingly serve
as much as I can. As he is now free of the Startings & Spasms
and you say nothing of any gouty paroxysms I must consi¬
der him as a good deal relieved and that he has been the better
for the guaiac Solutions. Considering the state of the weather
and his weakness I am not Surprized at his not being out of
bed but at the same time I impute both his want of appetite and
his imperfect Sleep to his lying to much and as soon as there
is any mild weather I would earnestly advise him to try to
get out of bed and I think it might always be managed so as
to avoid catching cold. In the mean time in case of bad nights
I would freely advise him to take an opiate now & then and
as the Solution seems to have full power over his belly there
will be no hazard of Costiveness and the Opiate is certainly
the surest means of relieving the pains of his belly. I do
not find any ground to prescribe a new medicine for him
[Page 2]
and my hopes of his recovery turn chiefly upon his getting
safely through the bad season and upon his getting into fresh
Air and proper exercise, of all which we shall speak more fully
when at the proper season we know his then circumstances
exactly. In the meantime I cannot conceive that at any season
Seabathing can be either proper or tolerably safe for him. He
may very properly take up summer quarters in some part of
the highlands but without any view to Seabathing; and in my
opinion he may or should quit the house he has engaged, unless
independent of Seabathing it is as agreeable and convenient
as any other. Make my best Compliments to him and
his mother and believe me to be
Dear Sir
your most obedient servant
Edinburgh
21 March
1782.
Diplomatic Text
Mr Stenhouse C Mr Sommerveil.
I am much obliged to you for giving me
accounts of Mr Sommerveil whom I would very willingly serve
as much as I can. As he is now free of the Startings & Spasms
and you say nothing of any gouty paroxysms I must consi¬
der him as a good deal relieved and that he has been the better
for the guaiac Solutions. Considering the state of the weather
and his weakness I am not Surprized at his not being out of
bed but at the same time I impute both his want of appetite and
his imperfect Sleep to his lying to much and as soon as there
is any mild weather I would earnestly advise him to try to
get out of bed and I think it might always be managed so as
to avoid catching cold. In the mean time in case of bad nights
I would freely advise him to take an opiate now & then and
as the Solution seems to have full power over his belly there
will be no hazard of Costiveness and the Opiate is certainly
the surest means of relieving the pains of his belly. I do
not find any ground to prescribe a new medicine for him
[Page 2]
and my hopes of his recovery turn chiefly upon his getting
safely through the bad season and upon his getting into fresh
Air and proper exercise, of all which we shall speak more fully
when at the proper season we know his then circumstances
exactly. In the meantime I cannot conceive that at any season
Seabathing can be either proper or tolerably safe for him. He
may very properly take up summer quarters in some part of
the highlands but without any view to Seabathing; and in my
opinion he may or should quit the house he has engaged, unless
independent of Seabathing it is as agreeable and convenient
as any other. Make my best Compliments to him and
his mother and believe me to be
Dr Sir
your most obedient servant
Edin.r
21 March
1782.
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